Buenos Aires bike lanes have developed exponentially over the past few years. With over 60 miles of bike lanes, mainly in Palermo, Recoleta and Belgrano, it is now possible to safely discover the city by bike. In addition, Buenos Aires has an ideal climate and geography for biking, with few rainy days and very flat streets.

Palermo area in particular is very bike-friendly, with large, safe bike lanes and lots of bike racks. Locals have quickly adopted the bicycle to commute and for short rides.

Convinced? Let us guide you through the different ways the rent a bike in Buenos Aires.

Bike rentals in Buenos Aires: our tips

1. EcoBici: Buenos Aires public bike system

EcoBici is Buenos Aires free public bike sharing system. There are close to 30 bike stations around town, mainly in Palermo, Recoleta and Microcentro. Stations are opened Mondays through Fridays from 8AM to 8PM and on Saturdays from 9AM to 3PM.

The service is free of charge but you must return the bike within an hour. You can return the bike at any station.

As a tourist, you will be asked to present your passport and a photocopy to borrow a bike. Leave your personal info (name, hotel address and phone number) and sign an affidavit and you’re good to go.

Most hotels in Buenos Aires will be able to offer you bikes to rent by the day. Preferably book in advance as most hotels do not own their own bikes, but have to rent them from a third-party. You will most likely be asked a credit card guarantee and will have to sign an affidavit.

If you are going to leave your bike on the street, make sure to use a lock.

Typical daily rates for a bike rental range between USD20 and USD30 (AR$180 to AR$270 as of March 2015).

3. Join a bicycle tour

Several companies offer bike tours to discover an area of Buenos Aires by bike and with a guide. For example Biking Buenos Aires offers a 4-hour architecture tour through Palermo, Montserrat and Recoleta for USD45, including the bike, helmet, water and a guide.

4. Why not an electric scooter?

Not really a bike but still a green, two wheels alternative is The Green Scooter, an electrically powered motorcycle that will effortlessly drive you through the city. A 24-hour rental will cost you AR$490 (USD55). Scooters speed is limited to 45km/h and have an autonomy of 40km.

Palo Santo Hotel is an icon of Buenos Aires green architecture. Over 800 plants grow on its façades, patios, rooftop and balconies. An impressive 18-meter high water fountain goes through the building, from the roof to the lobby.

Palo Santo is the first urban green hotel in Latin America. It was building to the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards.

On weekends, the city of Buenos Aires offer guided bike tours through Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods). Two different itineraries are available: Parks and Monuments and Parks and Museums. The two circuits are quite similar.

The city of Buenos Aires offer tourists to visit Palermo Woods on electric bicycles. Tours include the Planetarium, the Hippodrome, the Japonese Garden, Palermo lakes and the Rose Garden. In the museums tour, the visitor will see the Sívori Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, MALBA and José Hernández Museum.

Tours are guided and last two hours. The activity is available in Spanish, English and Portuguese. Unfortunately for families, only people over 18 can take the tour.

In January 2014, Arquitect Norman Foster unveiled his design of an elevated bike path named SkyCycle. The purpose is to take advantage of the structure of railway lines to construct car-free lanes for cyclists.

Green building is a growing tendency worldwide. In Buenos Aires, there are quite a few interesting green buildings. Banco Ciudad headquarters in Parque de los Patricios, a popular area near La Boca, is one of them.

Banco Ciudad building was built to LEED construction criteria. It achieved the LEED Silver category certification.

The project aesthetics is based on the use of concrete, glass and steel. The building is four floors high and occupies a whole block. On the ground floor, a very large atrium regroups most shared services: a reception, cafeterias and dining areas for employees and a bank agency. Working spaces are spread through the three remaining floors, with a very open layout.

Bosco Verticale (“Vertical Forest”) is a green building project in Milan. The project incudes two residential towers and one office builing. The project is expected to host the equivalent of one hectare woodlot.